DENVER — Police in Denver have arrested a suspect accused of killing his cellmate at the Downtown Detention Center overnight.
Denver Sheriff deputies responded to the incident at around 2:15 a.m. Monday where they found an unresponsive man in his cell at the jail. Life-saving measures were attempted until paramedics arrived to assist, a spokesperson with the city’s Department of Public Safety said, but the victim was declared dead a short time later.
Officers with the Denver Police Department responded to the jail about 30 minutes later to investigate the incident. A preliminary investigation revealed signs that the victim had been assaulted and that the injuries likely resulted in the victim’s death, the spokesperson said.
The suspect was identified as 38-year-old Rick Roybal-Smith, a cellmate of the victim. He is being held for investigation of first-degree murder.
Court records obtained by Denver7 show Roybal-Smith was arrested and booked on June 29 for investigation of driving high, careless driving resulting in injury, and leaving the scene of an accident.
Denver7 also looked through Colorado Department of Corrections records, which showed Roybal-Smith was out on parole for several cases.
In 2016, he was sentenced to 12 years for pleading guilty to vehicular assault-DUI, eluding, and DUI. In exchange, five charges of attempted first-degree murder and two charges of assault — extreme indifference, were dropped. He was released early.
In 2022, he was arrested in Englewood for felony menacing and pleaded guilty the following year. There was a four-year sentence tied to that case.
The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Medical Examiner. Per standard protocol, the final determination of charges will be made by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
